AMD Invests in BlueStacks' Solution That Runs Android Apps on Windows

AMD is making an investment in startup BlueStacks, whose technology gives Windows device users access to apps in the Android Market.

Advanced Micro Devices is working with a software
startup, BlueStacks, whose solution enables users of Windows-based
devices to run Android applications.

AMD announced Oct. 20 that it is making an investment in the company. No amount was disclosed.

AMD and BlueStacks are working together to optimize BlueStacks' solution, BlueStacks App Player for Windows, for AMD's Fusion APUs (accelerated processing units),
were first introduced in January and offer a chip with the CPU and
high-level graphics integrated onto the same piece of silicon.

By optimizing the solution for AMD's technology,
people using notebooks or other devices powered by AMD APUs and running
Windows would be able to access Android apps and run them on the
systems. There are more than 200,000 apps in the Android Market.

AMD is looking to make similar investments in
companies that, like BlueStacks, are looking to enhance the user
experience on notebooks, tablets and similar devices, according to
Manju Hegde, corporate vice president of AMD's Fusion Experience
Program.

"Bluestacks is a visionary software company that
is, seamlessly, making the emerging Android mobile apps market part of
the broader computing ecosystem and enhancing such experiences on our
award-winning APU platforms," Hegde said in a statement. "AMD is
committed to support such game changing innovators through investment
and other activity as we work together to usher in new experiences that
allow consumers to enjoy the full capabilities of the brilliant
graphics and computing performance enabled by AMD."

BlueStacks President and CEO Rosen Sharma said
AMD's investment will go a long way in enabling his company to expand
its reach in the industry.

"AMD's investment in BlueStacks will help us to
create an environment where your favorite apps can be accessed
regardless of platform technology, providing greater entertainment and
productivity value," Sharma said in a statement. "Working with AMD
enables us to do this faster by expanding our network of OEMs and
retailers to reach a broad audience of consumers and businesses that
want to get more out of Android."

According to BlueStacks' Website,
the key part of its solution is a multi-OS runtime with virtualization
technology that enables apps from different operating systems to run
simultaneously on the same computer, which in this cases enables a
Windows-based device to run the Android apps.

The company notes that while the current release
of its solution supports Android running on Windows on x86 ystems, the
same virtualization technology can support a wide range of operating
systems and applications. For example, with the release next year by
Microsoft of Windows 8, BlueStacks' solution will enable Android
running Windows for devices powered by ARM-designed chips. Windows 8
will support system-on-a-chip architectures like ARM.

BlueStacks also points to being able to run
Android on Google's Chrome operating system and Windows running on
Android-powered devices.

AMD made the investment in BlueStacks through its
AMD Fusion fund program, which looks to invest in companies whose
solutions can be leveraged by the chip maker's Fusion products.

AMD officials have pushed to quickly expand the
reach of their Fusion technology, with products now aimed at everything
from low-power laptops to embedded devices to mainstream notebooks and
desktops.